Is America Really Blessed?

Most people I know would say that America is the most blessed nation in the world. We have the highest standard of living across our population. The poorest Americans still live better than 99% of the rest of the world.  Most American families own at least one car, have access to healthcare, and the average American household nets just shy of $52K per year.

On the surface is would appear America is blessed by God! But is it?

Sounds like a dumb question, I know, but I find myself pondering this as I was reading Matthew 5 again this morning.

Jesus seems to flip the American definition of “blessed” upside down.

Blessed are the poor in spirit… (verse 3)

Blessed are those who mourn… (4)

Blessed are the meek… (5)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… (6)

Blessed are the merciful… (7)

Blessed are the pure in heart… (8)

Blessed are the peacemakers… (9)

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness… (10)

Blessed are those who have the most stuff… (Wait!!! that one is not in there!)

Blessed are those who go to church every Sunday… (Really?)

Blessed are those who give 10% of their income to the church… 

(Nope, Jesus never said this)

It seems that when Jesus tells us what it means to be “blessed”, His teaching is contrary to what we as Americans define “blessed” to be, even American Christians. But Jesus said it so plainly in Matthew 5. 

How did I miss that?

 

Lets look at some facts

Sure Americans have more income than 99% of the world, but we also have more debt. While 1/3^rd of the world lives on less than $2.00 per day (less than $1,000 per year) those same people have almost no debt. According to NerdWallet's 2015 American Household Credit Card Debt Study, the average American household has more than $90K in debt (mortgage, credit, school, auto, private).  This puts the U.S. second worldwide behind only Japan. But don’t worry, we’re gaining fast.

This debt binds most Americans to the rat race that is our daily jobs, working hard to pay off that loan just in time to trade in the old Nissan for a new Audi that we can’t afford, only to go deeper in the hole. We work overtime to climb the proverbial corporate ladder so we can get respect, and boast about the promotion we earned all the while we drown in our own busyness looking out the window of our corner office.

The American Dream, right?

ABC news reports that Americans work more hours than any other nation, take less vacation, and retire later. If that isn’t enough we have just peaked at a 30 year high in suicide-rate with suicide now being one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. That’s 47^th of the 196 Geo-Political nations in the world; the 76^th Percentile in the most prosperous nation in this planet’s history.

Yea, that doesn’t sound so blessed to me… So many of us are trapped in our own personal hell, thinking we’ll find joy and fulfillment in the next job, car, house, or other idol.

It makes me consider whether we own things or do they own us…

Some perspective

In traveling to third world nations, I’ve seen many of the poorest people find contentment in the simplest things. Though they have almost nothing, they value everything.  They have no debt because credit doesn’t exist in their world. If they can’t buy or build a home, they don’t have one.  I’ve seen Christians in Kenya and Congo praying for God to give them their daily bread because they literally don’t know where their next meal will come from.

And you know what? God comes through!

They put all of their faith in God, and literally depend on Him to provide or they starve. There’s no Plan B, food-stamp card, or soup kitchen. The homeless shelter is outside the village on the dirt. They’re in a situation where if God doesn’t come through, they die. And I’ve been learning from them that is a good place to be.

Don’t believe me? Read 1 Kings 18 and see how Elijah the prophet fared when he put it all on the line and trusted God to come through in front of 450 prophets of Baal.

I like to recite the Lord’s Prayer but I’d freak out if I didn’t know where my next meal is coming from. Heck many of us freak out because we don’t know what is going to happen to our 401k’s when the market drops 300 points because interest rates went up a quarter-point.

The American Dream

The American dream and the Gospel just don’t mesh well. One says you can do anything if you work hard enough, and if you do, you will get everything you deserve.

The other says you must be willing to lay down your life, leave everything, give it all away, and follow a homeless King… and (by the way) you will not get what you deserve.

Let me be clear, I’m not an ungrateful American. I do love this country and appreciate the many freedoms we do have. I spent my entire childhood wondering if my dad was going to come home from his deployment. He served 30+ years and retired a 3 Star General in the U.S. Army. I have some semblance of what it is to sacrifice, and I know freedom isn’t free. You won’t see me arrogantly taking a knee during the National Anthem.  Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here.  I’m not anti-American.

What I am saying is that God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2) and does not love America more than He loves other countries. He did not pummel Haiti with Hurricane Matthew only to push it aside of Florida because He loves America more.

The Gospel is not for America only, it is for all of humanity. We must be careful not to catch ourselves in a puddle of narcissism believing that God’s plan hinges on America.

Jesus is not a white guy with a Make America Great again hat, walking around in His Toms sandals, flexing an Uncle Sam tattoo on his left arm. He is the resurrected Son of God who lived among the poor, ate with sinners, owned nothing, gave away everything (including His own life), all because His Daddy loves you and wants you to love Him too.

When you realize that, I mean truly realize what God has done for you, wiping away the wrongs you have done so you don’t get the punishment you deserve, then you will know what it is to be blessed, regardless of what nation you live in.

Grace and Peace.